“Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.” (Psalm 119:143 NIV)
God’s commands are delightful because they give direction. In life, we are constantly faced with circumstances we can’t control. COVID19 is something we can’t control. We can’t stop the virus from spreading. Yes, we can socially isolate and quarantine to slow the spread of the illness, but we can’t control it. Focusing on what we can’t control stops us from doing what we can control. Focusing on God’s commands is something we can control. Obeying His commands gives us something we can do. In times of uncertainty, having something to do is delightful. God’s commands give us direction. Direction is delightful.
Direction is delightful.
When I was in my late 20’s, my life was out of control. I was not following Jesus. I had alienated my friends and family. I was not following any of God’s commands. Financially I was in debt up to my eyeballs. Spiritually I had turned my back on God. Physically I was not treating my body as a temple. The path of self-destruction I followed had left me desolate and alone. I didn’t know what to do. I needed direction. In desperation, I turned to God. I found delight in His commands.
The first and greatest command God gives us is to love Him, love others (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). In order to love God completely, I renewed my relationship with Jesus. He is the link that binds me to God. In today’s terms, Jesus is the wifi that connects my computer to God’s network. The beauty of Jesus, His connectivity never fails. His wifi signal is always at full bars. As a result, love flows freely from God to me. God’s love allows me to love Him, and others. God gave me direction when I turned to Him. He helped me gain control of my life by giving it to Him.
When we submit to God’s commands, we’re letting Him control our lives. We’re saying, “Your way is better than mine. You make the decisions for my life.” For me, when I turned back to God, it meant I needed to make changes. I started to rebuild human relationships as I built my renewed relationship with God. I began to live within my means and pay off my debt. I stopped having premarital sex. My way had not worked. I decided to try God’s way. God’s way gave me direction. Each day, I choose God’s commands over my desires. After 20 plus years, I can honestly say, following God is the best decision I ever made. In His commands, I found delight.
Choose today God’s demands over your desires. Let Him have control of your life. Let His commands bring you delight.
Question of the Day:
How has God’s commands given you delight?
Further Reading: 2 Samuel 17:1-29 NIV, John 19:23-42 NIV, Psalm 119:129-152 NIV, Proverbs 16:12-13
